Psalm 51

OK, before you go any further, please read Psalm 51...

In fact, go ahead and read 2 Samuel 12 as well...

So, yes, this is a poem, a song, that David wrote after being called out by the prophet Nathan for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, conspiring to murder her husband Uriah, and the whole scandalous cover-up to hide his sin.  But this is MY story!  And, it's YOUR story, too!  Please don't just read this as just a crying out from David's soul for repentance, restoration and wholeness.  It is all that, but don't just leave it there as David's story.

Here's how it works.  David knows God.  The David crying out in repentance here, is the same David in Psalm 42 crying, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you," longs for you.  Because David has sought after, longed after God, he knows Him.  He knows His character.  He knows His mercy, His unfailing love, His compassion, His holiness, and let us not forget His justice.  David knows the penalty of sin.  He knows he deserves nothing less than death.

David also know God's ability to make him clean again, to "create in me a pure heart," to "renew a steadfast spirit."  (Look up the definition of steadfast.)  But more importantly, because David knows God, he knows what God desires.  Not a gift.  Not a sacrifice.  Not a burnt offering.  Not a check to a church or charity.  Not an act of service in the community, served in guilt.  Not even an increased participation at church or other Christian event.  Rather, God desires us to enter His presence with a "broken spirit...a broken and contrite [repentant] heart."

This is what God desired from David, and he knew it because he had longed for God and knew Him.  This is what God desires from you and I as well.  But, we often seek to please or impress God.  Why?  Maybe to appease His justice.  Maybe because we haven't longed for God to know that "You do not delight in sacrifice...you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings."  God wants your whole heart, your WHOLE LIFE.